Thursday, September 21, 2023

What Can You Do For Arthritis In Dogs

Cost Of Natural And Herbal Arthritis Remedies In Dogs

Treating Arthritis in Dogs – a plan to keep them pain free!

Natural care can be expensive at times, but adding herbs to improve your dogs pain levels should cost under $25 a month. Giving your dog a whole food diet can be as simple as the cost of fruits and vegetables. You can use bones from your own chicken or beef meals to make bone broth to add to your dogs food. If you choose to visit with a holistic or homeopathic veterinarian, you might find their training is different and, therefore, their office visits are more expensive. A typical office visit may be about $75 instead of $50, for example. Before committing to a holistic veterinarian, research the homeopathic veterinarians in your area. Many will do phone consults for a much lower rate. From a phone consultation, you can get advice on where to purchase herbs and how much to give your dog how based on condition, breed, and weight.

Worried about the cost of Natural And Herbal Arthritis Remedies treatment?

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Arthritis In Dogs: 3 Simple Natural Solutions

My old dog Chili is a walking disaster and a daily reminder of the impact arthritis has on dogs and their quality of life.

She wobbles around on four very unsound legs. I know, this sounds bad but its the result of jumping off mountains and tearing her cruciate ligaments in her younger days. Now shes paying the price of her youthful indiscretions!

Its a challenge keeping her active and comfortable, but Ive managed to do it without harmful NSAIDs! Whats even better is its worked so well that Chili is now happy, healthy and 13 years old and counting!

Dont get me wrong, there was a time when I thought shed never make it to 10 because her joints were so bad! Everyone who knows Chili asks me how Im able to keep her so active, even with severe arthritis.

So I want to share my top 3 steps for dealing with arthritis in dogs naturally. But first, lets take a quick look at the cause of arthritis

Stages Of Arthritis In Dogs

Like many other medical conditions in dogs, arthritis can range in severity from patient to patient.

Canine arthritis ranges from stage 1-4, all of which rate a dogs current joint deterioration and visible symptoms.

To help you better understand your canine friend, lets discuss the stages of dog arthritis below.

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Video Answer: Dog Pain: Home Remedies That Quickly Work

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, help reduce swelling, stiffness, and joint pain in humans, and they can do the same for your dog.

They can bring relief to a dog with arthritis, or one whos just had surgery.

But dont give your pooch something from your medicine cabinet.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, help reduce swelling, stiffness, and joint pain in humans, and they can do the same for your dog.

They can bring relief to a dog with arthritis, or one whos just had surgery.

But dont give your pooch something from your medicine cabinet.

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Other Causes Of Your Dogs Mobility Issue

Arthritis In Dogs

Lots of problems could be causing your dogs mobility issues, and its important to work with your veterinarian to determine which are at play in your dogs specific condition. Arthritis is certainly one of the most common, but it isnt always the culprit. Other causes can also include:

  • Degeneration of the nerves going to the muscles
  • Muscle weakness and/or muscle mass loss
  • Torn cruciate ligament or other trauma

On the other hand, it isnt always an orthopedic or neurologic condition thats hindering your dogs mobility. The cause could actually be pain unrelated to their muscles, joints, or bones, such as:

  • Inflammation of or a mass associated with one of the organs in their abdomen
  • Heart or respiratory disease can cause mobility issues
  • Overgrown nails

The above conditions are just some of the reasons that could be causing your dogs pain and mobility issues. Knowing the cause will help determine the best course of action to make your dog live comfortably.

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How Is Arthritis In Dogs Diagnosed

There is no single test for arthritis in dogs. The process of diagnosing arthritis involves multiple steps which usually start with a physical examination.

During the physical exam, the vet will start by touching and lightly pressing the joints to check for your dogs reaction. She may also test the range of motion by moving the legs in different directions.

After the physical exam, the vet will likely recommend an x-ray . Other tests like blood tests, urine tests, and fecal tests may be performed to rule out other inflammatory diseases.

Using the results from all the tests, your vet will then make a conclusion about whether your dog has arthritis or not.

Are Certain Dog Breeds More Susceptible To Developing Arthritis

We would not say a certain type of breed is predisposed to developing arthritis but rather that the disease is typically seen in large breed dogs. Overweight animals proportionately carry more weight on the joints, leading to an increased chance of localised inflammation and irritation to the joints. This is not to say that your Pug doesnât have arthritis, its simply less common in smaller dog breeds so regardless of the breed itâs important to maintain a healthy weight.

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Glucosamine And Chondroitin For Dogs

Glucosamine is a key ingredient that reduces pain and improves joint function. While Chondroitin Sulfate also reduces pain but also improve joint function and mobility. Together, working with Green Lipped Mussel, this creates a powerfully packed supplement for dogs.

While there are other products with Glucosamine and Chondroitin, the proven levels inside Glyde Mobility Chews packs a powerhouse of goodness for joint mobility.

Learn about these proven ingredients and other points that will make it clear: what makes Glyde different?

What Is Degenerative Joint Disease

3 Simple Massage Techniques For Senior Dogs & Dogs With Arthritis

Degenerative joint disease, otherwise known as arthritis is inflammation of the joints. When arthritis occurs, the cartilage lining of the joint wears down, resulting in inflammation, swelling and pain. The cartilage lining can wear down because of disease, poor structure or development , unusual gait, conformation or excessive weight gain.

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What Are The Causes Of Dog Arthritis

Several factors can contribute to your dogs damaged joints and cartilage. These include:

  • Age: Older dogs tend to develop arthritis as their joints begin to weaken and wear out.
  • Injuries: Frequent injuries, such as fractures or ruptured ligaments, can increase a dogs chance of damaging its joints and cartilage.
  • Size & Weight: Large, heavy dogs are more prone to arthritis. The added weight puts more pressure and stress on the joints which speed up their deterioration.
  • Genetics: Some breeds of dogs are more likely to develop arthritis because of body structure and development.

Stair Treads Help Arthritic Dogs

If your arthritic dog has to use stairs have a look at the stair treads.

For indoor staircases, steps that are all wood or linoleum are prime candidates for temporary step treads. The styles that work best for dog paws are the rubber backed treads with double tape or the self stick gritty tape kind .

For outdoor steps, most steps are fine until they are wet or snowy, then they are downright dangerous. I know my own deck steps get really slippery after it rains and thats why I have the sticky, gritty roll tape on my outdoor deck steps and on my front porch I tacked down the outdoor carpet stair treads.

TIP: Stair treads that dont work well for dog paws are the decorative open pattern rubber style. This style easily traps a dogs toe or paw and should be avoided . The other style that doesnt work well for dogs is any style that is slippery or that does not get securely fastened.

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Risk Factors Of Arthritis In Dogs

While age is the most common risk factor for developing arthritis in dogs, other factors can make our furry friends more susceptible to this painful joint disease. These include:

  • Larger breeds of dogs experience more arthritis than smaller breeds
  • Being overweight causes more stress on the joints
  • Hereditary or genetic factors

If your dog has been diagnosed with arthritis, you might be wondering how long can your dog live with this disease, what are the complications, and is it treatable? If left untreated, dogs will be extremely uncomfortable with limited mobility. However, with proper treatment, most dogs will live comfortably with a normal life expectancy.

Can Arthritis Be Cured

Canine Arthritis

Unfortunately not. Once cartilage in your dogs joint has been damaged it rarely repairs itself completely. But many pets can successfully be made pain free by appropriate long-term use of medication and sensible management to control further deterioration. With so much variety in severity of arthritis between patients, many dogs cope well, leading full and active lives without any veterinary intervention at all. However, certain patients will require treatment ranging from simple lifestyle changes to complex surgery.

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Importance Of Anxiety Prevention

Itâs immensely hard for a caring pet owner to witness their dog experiencing anxiety. Preventinganxiety from snowballing into destructive, aggressive or difficult behaviors is vital.Anxiety in dogs comes in several different forms, such as fear-based , separation anxiety , and age-based anxiety which worsens as they get older. Knowing how to prevent anxietyand alleviate your dogâs stress is a key part of their wellbeing.Nature provides us with the perfect ingredients for soothing and easing our four-legged friends.

A Supplement A Day Keeps The Joint Pain Away

Before we start discussing joint supplements for dogs, we need to briefly review some relevant joint anatomy. When bones come together to form a joint, the ends are covered with a layer of cartilage. This cartilage acts as a shock absorber and helps the bones glide smoothly against each other when the joint moves.

As your dog ages or joint mechanics change due to an injury, the cartilage becomes worn. Over time this degenerative process will lead to arthritis. Now bone is rubbing on bone, the once cushy cartilage has become thin, causing the joint to become inflamed and painful.

What is the best joint supplement for dogs?

A variety of compounds have proven useful for addressing arthritic changes from different angles:

  • Glucosamine and chondroitinsulfate Glycosaminoglycans are the building blocks of healthy cartilage, making them one of the most popular joint supplement ingredients.
  • Methylsulfonylmethane This compound helps form new cartilage and can reduce pain and inflammation.
  • Turmeric/curcumin More commonly used as a human supplement, turmeric/curcumin shows promise in reducing pain and inflammation in dogs with arthritis.
  • Hyaluronic acid This type of GAG is a major component of joint fluid and helps make cartilage more resistant to wear and tear.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids Anti-inflammatory properties are one of the benefits of Omega-3s for dogs that make them useful for managing arthritis pain.

My favorite joint supplement for dogs with arthritis

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Tips & Products To Help Your Aging Or Arthritic Dog

These tips and products listed below have helped to improve the comfort level, quality of life, and ability to get around for many older and arthritic dogs. Have a look and try them out you may well be surprised at just how peppy your old dog becomes!

You may notice that I dont mention medications in this article. Its not because they aren’t important and helpful, because they are often very important and helpful. Ive done this because medications arent the only important and helpful components to helping older dogs with their pain and mobility issues.

You can read more about what supplements and medications can be helpful with arthritis and joint pain here. The simple, yet safe and effective, tips and products I mention below arent well-known and all too often overlooked. For the benefit of all aging and arthritic dogs, that needs to change.

Provide A Dog Bed In Every Room Where Family Spends Time

What to Feed a Dog With Arthritis (Supplementation and Diet)

Some dogs have one dog bed and it may not necessarily be available to the dog until bed time. This is fine with young dogs, but older, arthritic dogs need something to cushion their protruding joints wherever they spend time with humans.

If your arthritic dog is laying on a cold, wood floor of a game room while the kids play for hours at a time, your dog will thank you for placing a dog bed in the game room.

Now lets move on to products that can be added as budget permits.

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Joint Problems In Older Dogs

Older dogs are highly susceptible to various health problems, including joint issues. One of the most common is arthritis, which could also occur prematurely to younger canines.

Arthritis occurs due to trauma and accumulated damage to the joints. As your dog uses its joints to walk, run, and guard your yard, the cartilage thins slowly. Over the years, the cartilage will be gone, which will cause the bones to rub with each other and the surrounding ligaments and tissues.

However, arthritis can also be developmental, which means your dog is born with a high predisposition to the condition. Large guard dogs like Bullmastiff and Rottweiler are prone to arthritis later due to their heavier bodies. Also, these dogs are active, which will take its toll on their joints.

On the other hand, small dogs can also acquire arthritis. Obesity and excessive physical activities will cause more stress to their small joints.

Just like humans, any dog can develop arthritis later in life. What you need to do is to have it diagnosed as early as possible. This way, you and the vet can work together to improve your dogs quality of life.

Risk Factors For Arthritis In Dogs

Veterinary researchers haven’t identified a cause of osteoarthritis, but they have found several factors that can put your dog at risk of developing the disease. Here are the most common risk factors:

Although these risk factors make it more likely that your dog will develop arthritis, the disease can affect any dog. Meanwhile, some dogs with one or more risk factors never develop arthritis. Your dog’s symptoms and behavior will be the clearest indicator of whether or not they need to get checked for this disease.

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Arthritis In Dogs: How To Manage Pain

At the end of the day, although an arthritis diagnosis might seem frightening, there are many different methods and strategies available to you to help your dog and manage his pain. Your veterinarian can help you find the right plan based on your dog specifically and answer any questions you may have throughout the process.

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Modify Your Home To Help Your Dog With Arthritis

Walkin

It can be difficult for an arthritic dog to navigate certain areas of your home like slippery floors and staircases. Heres where you can be creative! Try the following modifications to help your dog with arthritis at home:

  • Help your dog gain traction on slippery floors by putting down area rugs, runners, yoga mats, or even rubber mats that are meant for the tub. This is one of several practical solutions for dogs who are afraid of hardwood floors in addition to the ToeGrips mentioned above.
  • Keep your dogs dishes on an absorbent mat so spilled water doesnt cause your dog to slip and fall. If your dog is having trouble reaching down to a dish on the floor, consider using an elevated feeder. Feeding your dog on a nonslip mat, such as an inexpensive rubber welcome mat, can provide dinner with dignity for a dog who struggles to stand long enough to eat.
  • Ramps and steps can help your dog get up and down from the couch or bed, on and off of the deck, or in and out of the car. If you are handy with tools, you can find plans online to custom build ramps and stairs. Alternatively, they can be purchased in pet stores and online.
  • If you dont want your dog to use the stairs, consider using baby gates to block these areas.

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Keep Dog Nails Trimmed

Nails that impact a dogs mobility can be heard. If you hear clicking when your dog walks, its time to cut her nails or have them done. One rogue toenail is enough to make your dog distribute her weight in a way that aggravates her arthritis.

To verify your dogs nail length is not aggravating her arthritis, make sure you can slip a piece of paper between her nail and the floor when shes standing. For a refresher on how to trim nails see this article: Senior Dog Nail Trimming.

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